You throw the ball. You catch the ball. You hit the ball…Of course, baseball fans know that this line from Bull Durham is far from true, part of the humor of the movie and a huge part of the fun of the game. This blog is a space to talk about baseball, being a baseball fan, all of those things that make the game fun and the Angels, because they make baseball fun for me.

Enough! Time for the Regular Season!

Last week the Major League Giants beat up on the baby Angels, but this week the Major League Angels beat up on the Major League Giants – make that, the Major League, World Champion Giants – and shut them out 8 to 0. It was pretty exciting, almost exciting enough to get me excited about Spring Training again…almost. I was thrilled to see that Santana had both his nasty stuff and control. That Mark Trumbo hit a nice solid double off a tough major league pitcher – Matt Cain no less. That Bobby homered, Torii successfully stole a base (just not third Torii, no more trying for third please) and that last season’s weaker bats are continuing to swing strong through March. But, I want to see all of this for real!

Yeah, I know. I was so excited when Spring Training started – It’s live baseball! and all that. What happened? Well…and, yes, I already made this analogy on Jane Heller’s blog, but I like it…Spring Training was fantastic when it was our first taste of baseball after the winter, rather like how delicious a plain chicken soup might taste after you’ve been sick for a long time. But eventually you’re feeling even better, tire of the chicken soup and start craving something more substantial. Bring on the meat and potatoes of the regular season!!

Enough match-ups that don’t count and often aren’t real major league match-ups. Enough of the regular players departing after the 4th inning. Enough of having a new pitcher every inning or three. The whole 100 pitch count, no more than 7 innings thing annoys me as it is. Spring Training pitch counts drive me absolutely batty. And enough with the day games already! I agree that day game baseball is baseball as it’s meant to b watched, but it’s also baseball at it most unwatchable if you have a job with traditional-ish hours. I want to be able to watch a game live on more than just the weekends again. Spring Training was a great tide me over until the season started, but enough…yeah, okay, enough whining already. Opening Day is only a week away. Now that’s something to get excited about.

Other exciting things? It sounds like Joel Piniero won’t miss any regular season starts over the back pain that took him out of a game on Sunday. This is great news and I hope it continues to be true. That DL was getting more than a little crowded. Oh, and there is rain pounding my roof right now! Why is this a good thing – other than for strategic water table purposes, of course? The rain was supposed to hit us in three separate storms every other day from today through Sunday, Fanfest day. Now it looks like the three separate storms are bunching in to one longer rainy period ending Friday evening. This is good because, while I was going to Fanfest no matter what, few things smell worse than wet Rally Monkey. This also means that I will see live baseball before my very own eyes on Sunday as well. Yes, it’s another Spring Training-ish game, the exhibition game against the Padres, but I think I can muster up some excitement for this one. Being at the ballpark never fails to do that to me.

11 Comments

I am a big fan of Joel Pineiro and I think you’ll like what you get from him this year. Since being “fixed” by Dave Duncan, he has been very solid (when healthy). I remember how p.o.’d he was last season when he got hurt. He’s hungry. Just watch.
–Jeffhttp://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/

Jeff – I am a big fan too. When he was healthy last season that sinkerball of his was great and the way he fought back to play from the injury sooner than expected is the kind of toughness I love to see in a pitcher. I am really looking forward to, hopefully, a whole healthy season of Pineiro.
Kristen

I know exactly how you feel, Kristen. I’m tired of seeing scores and getting all worked up over them–and then remembering that they mean nothing. Bring on the meat and potatoes! (great analogy by the way)
Catherinehttp://chisoxblog.mlblogs.com/

I am just glad this is not a WBC year. Not only does the season seemed demure during the event, it dilutes the player pool for Spring Training.
But with the timer ticking down towards “zero”, any baseball that is not tape delayed or with a timestamp of 2010 is well recieved in my eyeballs, even Game 7 of the ALDS is better than nothing……maybe.

LOL Kristen! Love the analogy but still I looking forward to Monday and Wednesday exhibition games at Dodger Stadium. No game for me at the Anaheim. Those will tie me over till Opening Day! Opening Day! Woohoo!
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

I’m really looking forward to Opening Day, too, but still think that the season starts too soon. We just had another huge snow storm in Michigan, and it’s hard to believe baseball will be playing in a week. Have fun at FanFest.
–Mike
‘Minoring In Baseball’http://burrilltalksbaseball.mlblogs.com

Rays Renegade – True words indeed. I think the injuries would be worse if this were a WBC year.
Emma – Thanks! I’m looking forward to the exhibition games too. It’s not league play but it will be the first crack o’the bat for me since September. I am stoked!
Mike – Thanks I will! The season starting with snow still on the ground would be odd, but you also get sow earlier than the rest of the country too so the only way you could avoid that would be shortening the season which I don’t think any of us would like.🙂
— Kristen

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